2012-2013 Virginia Commonwealth University Application Thread

[erin1234]

Do they take AP credit for their math requirements?

FYI, I called admissions today and they said that they take AP credit for the math requirements, so long as that AP credit is on your transcript.

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[sjagan1]

Good question. I'm starting medical school this year but from looking at my schedule I can probably tell you close to none.

However, I have seen that many students participate in free community clinics supported by their medical school. From what I understand, there are always long waiting lists to attend these because many people love to buff their residency resume with items such as these.

You can always do research in the summer or plan orientations and things for the incoming M-1's from what I understand.

Cool. I know what you mean. The workloads will quickly add up. Are you attending Georgetown?

 

[sjagan1]

I see that people who submitted their secondary over the weekend already have their files reviewed and given a ranking.

I submitted my secondary this weekend and am not missing any letters or anything. Yet, my status still says "INCOMPLETE". Should I be worried or just wait a few more days for them to update the system before I send them an email.

I think they might have submitted their applications a little earlier. You will get it soon.

 

[gbc85]

I submitted on the 11th or 12th and am still sitting at Incomplete. AMCAS has all my letters, and they meet the VCU's requirements. Should I be worried?

 

[Bumbl3b33]

Just got this update---

"The Committee's file review indicates that they are very interested in your candidacy. There is another increase in the applicant pool this year, but we are trying to get all candidates at your priority score interviewed as soon as possible if we have an adequate number of interview slots. Please anticipate an e-mail from us regarding a possible interview date."

Instate.

 

[GrabSlamBoot]

Just got this update---

"The Committee's file review indicates that they are very interested in your candidacy. There is another increase in the applicant pool this year, but we are trying to get all candidates at your priority score interviewed as soon as possible if we have an adequate number of interview slots. Please anticipate an e-mail from us regarding a possible interview date."

IS. 3.72/29R (7VR)

Nice! Are you in state?

 

[Bumbl3b33]

Nice! Are you in state?

Yup!

 

[CsHead]

Arghhh just ignore...


Admissions Office not getting back to email.. def going to have to call about something

 

[Goobs]

Just got this update---

"The Committee's file review indicates that they are very interested in your candidacy. There is another increase in the applicant pool this year, but we are trying to get all candidates at your priority score interviewed as soon as possible if we have an adequate number of interview slots. Please anticipate an e-mail from us regarding a possible interview date."

Instate.

Congratulations! I hear that status is super rare to get!!!

 

[1289]

Congratulations! I hear that status is super rare to get!!!

so what's been everyone's turn around time from submission to status update? jw I submit Monday.

 

[Icy Snow]

so what's been everyone's turn around time from submission to status update? jw I submit Monday.

I submitted around 10 pm Sunday night and got the status update Monday.

 

[Goobs]

so what's been everyone's turn around time from submission to status update? jw I submit Monday.

I submitted the 11th and got the change on the 16th.

 

[1289]

nvm just found the problem with mine. they classified one of my letters that was supposed to be science as "non-science," so my file is incomplete because I only have 1 science. what to do now..

 

[TheWeeIceMan]

nvm just found the problem with mine. they classified one of my letters that was supposed to be science as "non-science," so my file is incomplete because I only have 1 science. what to do now..

This seemed to happen a lot in last year's thread. Most people had success calling and asking for it to be switched.

 

[desphil]

I submitted on the 11th or 12th and am still sitting at Incomplete. AMCAS has all my letters, and they meet the VCU's requirements. Should I be worried?

I submitted on the 12th and my letters aren't showing up either - my file is still incomplete. I think I'm going to call on Friday if they don't get posted tomorrow.

 

[deleted454156]

I submitted on the 12th and my letters aren't showing up either - my file is still incomplete. I think I'm going to call on Friday if they don't get posted tomorrow.

I'm in the same position as you. I assume it's a problem on their end and I bet a lot of people are having the same issue. I wouldn't worry about it, doesn't look like they're tossing out II's just yet.

 

[flodhi1]

Just got this update---

"The Committee's file review indicates that they are very interested in your candidacy. There is another increase in the applicant pool this year, but we are trying to get all candidates at your priority score interviewed as soon as possible if we have an adequate number of interview slots. Please anticipate an e-mail from us regarding a possible interview date."

Instate.

You're in a very good position for interview. As long as you interview decently you have a high chance of getting accepted too. Assuming you get an early interview, early interviews = higher probability of being accepted.

 

[sjagan1]

Just got this update---

"The Committee's file review indicates that they are very interested in your candidacy. There is another increase in the applicant pool this year, but we are trying to get all candidates at your priority score interviewed as soon as possible if we have an adequate number of interview slots. Please anticipate an e-mail from us regarding a possible interview date."

Instate.

yayyyyyy bro as long as you prepare hard and confidently for your interview, I know you will get in *applause*

I hope i get that status or at least number 3.

 

[sjagan1]

I submitted the 11th and got the change on the 16th.

I submitted on the 15th at night. So I think I will hear from them soon. *crossing fingers and praying*

 

[Bumbl3b33]

yayyyyyy bro as long as you prepare hard and confidently for your interview, I know you will get in *applause*

I hope i get that status or at least number 3.

Is it bad that I kinda choked up when I read your post? I think this is the first time I've found anything positive coming out of SDN for me...Thanks!

 

[Bumbl3b33]

You're in a very good position for interview. As long as you interview decently you have a high chance of getting accepted too. Assuming you get an early interview, early interviews = higher probability of being accepted.

Thanks for letting me know flodhi1! I'll let you know how my interviewing season goes, your story was definitely the reason I didn't retake the MCAT/stopped harping about my MCAT score.

 

[TheWeeIceMan]

Anyone else have problems uploading their pictures? I want to submit my app, but everytime I click save, it deletes my picture. Then I have to click save like 3 more times before anything actually happens.

 

[Bumbl3b33]

Anyone else have problems uploading their pictures? I want to submit my app, but everytime I click save, it deletes my picture. Then I have to click save like 3 more times before anything actually happens.

its actually uploaded even if its not showing up. just browse, then upload and then press continue

 

[TheWeeIceMan]

its actually uploaded even if its not showing up. just browse, then upload and then press continue

Thanks dude, and congrats on the status!

 

[psychkub]

I just barely submitted my secondary today. Guess I have some catching up to do.

 

[Catalino21]

For those who are still listed as incomplete, I just got off the phone with them and they said that they just got a large batch of letters and are processing them now. The lady also said they usually have two people doing this but the other guy is out of town this week. And statuses for incomplete to complete are only changed after 6 pm each day.

 

[jgalt42]

Do we have to check on the website for status changes? Or do they email you about them?

 

[sjagan1]

Is it bad that I kinda choked up when I read your post? I think this is the first time I've found anything positive coming out of SDN for me...Thanks!

Pal, we are all human and special, including doctors. We can show our emotions on SDN. This is an emotional and pivotal time in our lives. There is no sugarcoating that.

*bro hug for good luck*

 

[sjagan1]

Do we have to check on the website for status changes? Or do they email you about them?

hey bro, they emailed me directly saying "you have a status change", when I was checking to see if I made the first big cut for the secondary

The same should be for an interview.

I once read in a medical college book that out of 1800 secondary applicants, 800 got interviews. A lot of out of staters made it to interview too. This was in a newsweek book talking about recent year statistics.

 

[espagueti]

.

 

[1289]

woo got my non science letter appealed and changed to science.. though the fact that I had to do this doesn't really instill much confidence in me for getting an interview here lol. guess we'll see when I get the status update

 

[sjagan1]

.

What did I beat you in? lolllll answering the status question?

 

[ilikesports]

FYI

Don't expect timeliness from VCU admissions in any way... You will wait, and wait, and wait for any and all responses and answers-- especially final decisions!!!

 

[sjagan1]

FYI

Don't expect timeliness from VCU admissions in any way... You will wait, and wait, and wait for any and all responses and answers-- especially final decisions!!!

How come even if you submit applications early, others might hear back in a few days with a wide variety of statuses while others take weeks or months?

 

[1289]

How come even if you submit applications early, others might hear back in a few days with a wide variety of statuses while others take weeks or months?

because each school handles it differently?

 

[kad]

Gah, barely over 4000 characters, and I feel I'm already stretching myself. Think thats enough?

 

[TheWeeIceMan]

Gah, barely over 4000 characters, and I feel I'm already stretching myself. Think thats enough?

Mine was about 4500, and that was stretching it for me. IMO, you are perfectly within the range of acceptable length.

 

[Rumalum]

Just throwing it out there, but my essay was 3755 characters for last years prompt (not sure how different it was), and I got an interview. It was a slow going for them to get back to me though

 

[rikibamboo]

So I took the MCAT last year and got a 28P (8BS, 11VR 9PS). My GPA is 3.9 from VCU undergrad and I'm instate for VA. Applied to VCU last year (kinda late though, mid-September) and am currently on their waitlist (pretty sure I won't be hearing back from them at this point though).

I'm scheduled to re-take the MCAT on August 17 but I'm wondering if there's more merit to just applying now (early) with my current score without the new score (already sent in my primaries and received the secondary from VCU) or taking the test (risking getting the same or lower score) and being in the same position as I was last year come September when I get my scores back.

Any thoughts would be appreciated!

 

[treemeowmeow]

Hey since the new medical school building will be done, is VCU increasing their class size for 2013?

 

[flodhi1]

So I took the MCAT last year and got a 28P (8BS, 11VR 9PS). My GPA is 3.9 from VCU undergrad and I'm instate for VA. Applied to VCU last year (kinda late though, mid-September) and am currently on their waitlist (pretty sure I won't be hearing back from them at this point though).

I'm scheduled to re-take the MCAT on August 17 but I'm wondering if there's more merit to just applying now (early) with my current score without the new score (already sent in my primaries and received the secondary from VCU) or taking the test (risking getting the same or lower score) and being in the same position as I was last year come September when I get my scores back.

Any thoughts would be appreciated!

Apply early, if you had applied with a 3.9/28 in June/July last year for IS you probably would have been accepted assuming you have good interviewing skills and great ECs. Even if you retake and score well it seems like you're just going to be risking another waitlist. If you wanted to retake you should have retaken in June or the very latest early July. Best of luck.

 

[flodhi1]

Hey since the new medical school building will be done, is VCU increasing their class size for 2013?

"A projected shortage in the number of physicians threatens to reduce access to medical care as Virginia’s population ages. This new facility for education and training will include a 300-seat lecture hall that will allow the medical school to increase the current 200-student class size to 250 students, increasing the total medical student body to 1,000."

http://www.medschool.vcu.edu/giving/gift/building.html

 

[WorldChanger36]

"A projected shortage in the number of physicians threatens to reduce access to medical care as Virginia's population ages. This new facility for education and training will include a 300-seat lecture hall that will allow the medical school to increase the current 200-student class size to 250 students, increasing the total medical student body to 1,000."

http://www.medschool.vcu.edu/giving/gift/building.html

I hope so

 

[rikibamboo]

Apply early, if you had applied with a 3.9/28 in June/July last year for IS you probably would have been accepted assuming you have good interviewing skills and great ECs. Even if you retake and score well it seems like you're just going to be risking another waitlist. If you wanted to retake you should have retaken in June or the very latest early July. Best of luck.

Yeah, kicking myself for not applying earlier last year. My interview last year went well but it was scheduled pretty late (end of January). Been working on my secondary essay and I should be able to submit my new application soon.

Still think it best to re-take the MCAT though. A subsection score of 8 in BS looks pretty low (didn't study much for that section last time because I was doing 12-hour days with Americorps and just didn't have the time/energy). Plus, VCU isn't the only school I'm applying to (though I'd be more than happy to able to go back to my alma mater).

Would anyone happen to know if the committee will review my completed application early with my initial MCAT score, despite me stating a new MCAT coming in later? I should probably call them up about that.

 

[jgalt42]

I got a really weird status update today:

"The committee's initial screening resulted in a decision to hold your application awaiting grades from courses you are either currently enrolled in or which you indicated you would enroll shortly. Please submit your grades to the Admissions Office as soon as possible. After that time, you can check your status for any further action. Remember all grades need to be submitted by January 31st."

I've completed all the requirements, I also triple checked them before I submitted my application last week. Not sure what this is about...

 

[1289]

I got a really weird status update today:

"The committee's initial screening resulted in a decision to hold your application awaiting grades from courses you are either currently enrolled in or which you indicated you would enroll shortly. Please submit your grades to the Admissions Office as soon as possible. After that time, you can check your status for any further action. Remember all grades need to be submitted by January 31st."

I've completed all the requirements, I also triple checked them before I submitted my application last week. Not sure what this is about...

weird, are you enrolled in ANY classes this fall/summer? upper level science classes maybe?

 

[jgalt42]

No, not at all. In fact, I graduated 3 years ago from undergrad. I really have no idea why I'm on hold, wish their offices were still open. I'll call tomorrow morning to see what is up.

 

[clown22]

No, not at all. In fact, I graduated 3 years ago from undergrad. I really have no idea why I'm on hold, wish their offices were still open. I'll call tomorrow morning to see what is up.

Did you indicate that you were taking the mcat again soon or are you taking any classes this upcoming year, like graduate or SMP?

 

[WorldChanger36]

I got a really weird status update today:

"The committee's initial screening resulted in a decision to hold your application awaiting grades from courses you are either currently enrolled in or which you indicated you would enroll shortly. Please submit your grades to the Admissions Office as soon as possible. After that time, you can check your status for any further action. Remember all grades need to be submitted by January 31st."

I've completed all the requirements, I also triple checked them before I submitted my application last week. Not sure what this is about...

This is a good thing if you are in an smp

 

[clown22]

This is a good thing if you are in an smp

Why is this a good thing if your in a SMP?